Beyoncé has confirmed that Cowboy Carter comes with high profile collaborations with artists like Post Malone and Miley Cyrus.
In addition to songs with Posty (“Levii’s Jeans”) and Miley (“II Most Wanted”), the album also includes features from Shaboozey (“Spaghettii”) and Willie Nelson.
The album, which is released on March 29, also features a pair of covers, highlighted by Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” which was revealed when Beyoncé initially shared the tracklist. Bey will also be offering a rendition of The Beatles’ “Blackbird.”
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The album has been circulated to internal markets, and it has been revealed that the album is organized as a country radio show entitled KNTRY Radio Texas.
Artists featured on the mysterious tracklist — Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, and Linda Martell — take turns spinning records.
When the tracklist was shared earlier this week, it took the form of something more like a puzzle than a definitive guide to the song’s on the album.
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For instance, “The Linda Martell Show,” which pays homage to the first Black female country artist to perform at the famed Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, was initially thought to be a song title. Now, it’s more likely that the listing advertised one of the “radio” DJs.
Additionally, the listing comprised titles such as “Smoke Hour Willie Nelson” and “Dolly P.” Those, too, now appear to be DJ titles.
Beyoncé’s unique approach to the reveal wasn’t the first case of inventive advertising in her Cowboy Carter era.
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Earlier this month, a promotion for the album appeared on the facade of the Guggenheim, though a spokesperson for the New York City museum later revealed that it was never officially authorized.
In a statement shared with Complex, a representative of the venue stopped short of denouncing the projection, which went viral on social media the night before.
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“The Guggenheim was not informed about and did not authorize this activation,” the person wrote. “However, we invite the public—including Beyoncé and her devoted fans—to visit the museum May 16–20 when we present projections by artist Jenny Holzer on the facade of our iconic building to celebrate the opening of her major exhibition.”
Soon after the statement was sent out, the museum shared a cheeky Instagram post referencing the Bey craze with a post of German artist Franz Marc’s painting, “Three Horses Drinking.”
In the caption, they wrote: “This Ain’t Texas [cowboy emoji].”
